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2018 Races…TBD!

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Dream A Little Dream

Today was my office's "Staff Appreciation Day" and so all the non-lawyer staff gathered in the main conference room for some kickass lunch and an hour-and-a-half long gabfest (a la TMZ). While in the midst of listening to about 17 different conversations about the exact same thing, I found myself wandering off and day dreaming about going for a run. Not uncommon at all...

Rounding a nearly-blind corner alongside a mountain ledge, the scree rolling under my feet and I negotiate the iffy terrain...To my left, a steep drop off and a vast expanse that goes as far as the eye can see, a wide river flowing through the canyon below, tree tops reaching for the stars and mountain peaks standing proud and keeping watch over the runners below...Coming upon a wildflower field, it's like the poppy field in Wizard of Oz, I follow the markings and fly over the trail as effortlessly as the wind...pushing, pushing, breathing heavy, pumping arms, moving up the switchbacks...legs tired from an entire day of running, but I can smell the barn and I keep pushing down the other side of the mountain...fried quads, downhill running not my forte...spilling out onto a forest service road, I know I'm almost there and suddenly I'm flying again, it feels so good!...and then, as if by magic, the finishline appears and I am crossing it, arms in the air...absolutely smashing the course record!!!

Okay, now you really know I was dreaming :)

I'm really looking forward to an evening run with Geof after work. Yesterday morning's run was so awesome that it's got me even more excited to get out there again. Oh, did I mention I ran over the weekend? Yep, got in a little over 11 miles up in the Kettle Moraine during the Ice Age Trail training run that the Badgerland Striders were hosting in prep for the Ice Age 50 in a few weeks. Brian, Geof and Ed K. did a little over 26 miles and I stuck with a loop and some change on the Nordic Trail (start/finish of the Kettle Moraine 100 and Ice Age 50 races), then hung out in the parking lot until the guys were done. It felt good to get some hills and soft trail under my feet again, and it felt even better to run pain free again. It was also fun to run a few miles with Ben and Sarah, fellow CHUGs, and talk about Leadville (Ben ran it last year and finished in a blazing fast time; I can't recall the exact time but it was in the 24 or 25 hour time frame).

This weekend holds another weekend of Kettle Moraine running and some camping. Hopefully, the weather holds and we don't have to worry with any rain or crappy stuff. Kinda makes it difficult to make a bonfire, but have no fear, the beer will be safe :)

Paige! You're on the cover of Chicago Athelete! I had to pick up two race packets today and you were in both goodie bags! You must have posted about this and I missed it. Congats! (This is bound to do wonders for their circulation totals!)

Quotes and Musings

"What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy. And joy is, after all, the end of life. We do not live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means and what life is for." ~ George Mallory, 1922

"There is a reason in every race to finish it or to quit early; it's a matter of what you choose. I believe the choice you take out there is the choice you're going to take in every aspect of life." ~ Perry Edinger

"Your outlook on life is a direct reflection of how much you like yourself." ~ Lululemon

"If you start to feel good during an ultra, don't worry, you'll get over it." ~Thibeault

"The core of a man's spirit comes from new experiences." ~Chris McCandless

"Circumstance has no value. It is how one relates to a situation that has value. All true meaning resides in the personal relationship to a phenomenon, what it means to you." ~Chris McCandless

Must Reads

"Life of Pi" Yann Martel

"No Shortcuts to the Top" Ed Viesturs

"Omnivore's Dilemma" Michael Pollan

"The Alchemist" Paulo Coehlo

"Crossing to Safety" Wallace Stegner

"Merle's Door" Ted Kerasote

"The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" Dan Millman

"Running Through The Wall: Personal Encounters with the Ultramarathon" Neal Jamison

"Buddha" Deepak Chopra

"Into The Wild" John Krakauer

New to the Sport? Read This...

Buckle Envy

Ever wonder what all the hundo buckles look like? Click on my buckle to find out!